The Bihar government has issued an order that stipulates dress codes for teaching and non-teaching staff at schools and bars them from indulging in "disco dances and other low-level activities" on the premises of the institutions.

The state education department issued a letter to all district education officers on Wednesday asking them to ensure a decent and dignified environment at government schools.

“It is being seen that teachers and non-teaching staff posted in the schools or educational institutions are coming to work in casual dresses like jeans and t-shirt against the office decorum. We have also come to know through the social media and other mediums about songs, DJ (music programmes), disco dances and other low-level activities being held in the school campuses,” the letter said.

The letter asserted that such conduct by the teachers and non-teaching staff was negatively affecting the educational environment of the schools and was unacceptable.

“In such circumstances, we are directing again that all teachers and non-teaching staff posted in the schools and educational institutions will come in formal dress during the class or office hours. Ensure the compliance of the directions,” the letter written by education department director (administration)–cum–additional secretary Subodh Kumar Chaudhary said.

However, directives have not gone down well with several teachers.

“Most of the time the teachers have used songs, dances and other activities as props to teach the students, and to make learning interesting. The main purpose of such activities has been to teach in a better manner in the absence of various teaching facilities like smart classrooms, audio-visual gadgets, interactive electronic systems, and computers as used in schools in the developed world,” a Patna-based schoolteacher said on the condition of anonymity.